Relatives of a waiter stabbed to death with a sword fled the Old Bailey in tears after the man accused of murdering him was cleared by a jury.
Kadir Miah, 35, of Priory Court in South Woodford had been accused of dealing drugs and killed Daraj Asghar, 38, when he came to his house looking for cocaine after he warned him not to, it was claimed.
But Miah said he was at his home watching cable TV with his wife when the father-of-four was murdered outside and he heard nothing.
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The jury took ten hours and 22 minutes to find Miah not guilty of murder.
A woman believed to be Mr Asghar's wife Monwara ran from the court sobbing as Miah was freed.
Miah was Mr Asghar's dealer and supplied him with cocaine. They often met at the Rose Restaurant in South Woodford High Street, where Mr Asghar worked jurors heard.
He warned Mr Asghar not to come over to his family home on the night of the killing because his family were there, the court heard.
Prosecutors claimed when Mr Asghar arrived, Miah stabbed him with the sword as he sat in his car.
But Miah said he did not leave his house in Priory Close, South Woodford, and did not hear any sounds of the attack on August 4 last year.
'I had the TV on. My wife watches the Indian films a lot. We have got this cable channel,' he said.
He said he had bought some cocaine and returned home at around 12.30am after giving a lift to two men called Andy and James.
Jurors heard how the sword was thrust through the driver's window and penetrated his stomach causing a 17cm deep wound.
Mr Asghar was taken to Whipps Cross Hospital but despite surgery he suffered cardiac arrest and died the following morning.
The murder weapon has never been recovered.
Miah denied one count of murder.
Mr Asghar, who was a black belt in tae kwondo, leaves his 34-year-old wife, three daughters and a son.
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